Communication method, apparatus and system

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of wireless communications. Disclosed are a communication method, apparatus and system, which can reduce downlink fronthaul traffic. In the present application, a first logic unit can receive a layer-2 scheduling result and a first weight from a second logic unit, and obtain a second weight for beamforming on the basis of the layer-2 scheduling result, the first weight and a channel estimation result. The first logic unit and the second logic unit are each responsible for a portion of the calculation of the second weight, so that the downlink fronthaul traffic of the second logic unit can be reduced.

Description

Communication methods, devices and systems

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411994477.6, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on December 30, 2024, entitled "Communication Method, Apparatus and System", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and in particular to communication methods, apparatus and systems. Background Technology

[0003] In current communication systems, base station functions can be functionally decomposed into multiple logical units. Different logical units are used to implement different communication protocol functions within the base station. For example, a base station can be divided into two logical units: a distributed unit (DU) and a radio unit (RU). The transmission between the DU and the RU can be referred to as "fronthaul."

[0004] In a fronthaul network architecture, the DU can send beamforming instructions to the RU to instruct the RU to perform the corresponding beamforming (BF). However, the transmission of beamforming instructions can generate significant downlink fronthaul traffic, even exceeding the physical optical module's limitations. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method, apparatus, and system that can reduce downlink fronthaul traffic when logic units perform beamforming correlation indication.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, the method comprising: a first logic unit receiving a layer 2 scheduling result and a first weight from a second logic unit; and obtaining a second weight for beamforming based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and a channel estimation result.

[0008] The scheme provided in the first aspect above involves the first logic unit obtaining a second weight based on the channel estimation result, the received layer 2 scheduling result, and the first weight. By having the first and second logic units each handle a portion of the calculation of the second weight, the downlink forwarding traffic of the second logic unit can be reduced.

[0009] As an example, the first logical unit may be an RU, an open radio unit (O-RU), or other units, components, or modules with similar functions, without limitation. In one possible design, the dimension of the first weight corresponding to each frequency domain resource unit is the total number of data streams to be transmitted on the corresponding frequency domain resource unit × the total number of data streams to be transmitted. The dimension of the second weight corresponding to each frequency domain resource unit is the total number of data streams to be transmitted on the corresponding frequency domain resource unit × the number of transmit antennas of the base station. Since, in general, the number of transmit antennas of the base station is greater than the total number of data streams to be transmitted, the dimension of the first weight is smaller than the dimension of the second weight, that is, the data volume of the first weight is less than the data volume of the second weight, thereby reducing the amount of data sent by the second logical unit to the first logical unit, i.e., reducing the downlink fronthaul traffic of the second logical unit.

[0010] In one possible design, the first logic unit receives a first weight from the second logic unit, including receiving compressed data from the second logic unit, the compressed data including the first weight. Therefore, the amount of compressed data is less than the first weight. By receiving compressed data from the second logic unit through the first logic unit, the downlink forwarding traffic of the second logic unit can be further reduced.

[0011] In one possible design, the first weight has conjugate symmetry. Therefore, the first weight can be compressed by the second logic unit based on this conjugate characteristic, further reducing the amount of data sent from the second logic unit to the first logic unit and lowering the downlink forwarding traffic of the second logic unit.

[0012] In one possible design, the first logic unit obtains the second weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result. This includes: the first logic unit performs dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation result based on the layer 2 scheduling result to obtain an intermediate channel; and performs matrix multiplication on the intermediate channel and the first weight to obtain the second weight. Therefore, by having the first logic unit and the second logic unit each handle a portion of the calculation of the second weight, the computational complexity of the first logic unit is reduced.

[0013] In one possible design, before the first logic unit receives the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight from the second logic unit, the method further includes: the first logic unit performing channel estimation and sending the channel estimation result and signal-to-noise ratio to the second logic unit. Therefore, the second logic unit does not need to send the channel estimation result used to determine the second weight to the first logic unit, reducing the downlink fronthaul traffic of the second logic unit.

[0014] In one possible design, the method further includes: the first logic unit receiving the channel estimation result sent by the second logic unit, wherein the channel estimation result is obtained after the second logic unit performs channel estimation. Therefore, the first logic unit does not need to perform channel estimation itself, reducing computational complexity.

[0015] In one possible design, the first logic unit receives a Layer 2 scheduling result and a first weight from a second logic unit, including: the first logic unit receiving a first message from the second logic unit, the first message carrying the Layer 2 scheduling result; and the first logic unit receiving a second message from the second logic unit, the second message carrying the first weight; or, the first logic unit receiving a third message from the second logic unit, the third message carrying the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight. Thus, the first logic unit can obtain the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight by receiving the third message, or by receiving the first and second messages, improving the flexibility of the first logic unit in receiving the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight.

[0016] In one possible design, the method further includes: a second logic unit determining a third weight based on the channel estimation result, or the second logic unit determining a third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); and determining a Layer 2 scheduling result based on the SNR and the third weight; then determining a first weight based on the Layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or the second logic unit determining a first weight based on the Layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the SNR. Thus, by having the second logic unit calculate the first weight and then calculate the second weight based on the received first weight, it is equivalent to each of the first and second logic units being responsible for a portion of the calculation of the second weight, thereby reducing the downlink fronthaul traffic of the second logic unit.

[0017] As an example, the second logical unit may be a DU, an open distributed unit (O-DU), or other units, components, or modules with similar functions, without limitation.

[0018] In one possible design, the second logic unit determines the first weight based on the Layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This includes: the second logic unit performing dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation result based on the Layer 2 scheduling result to obtain an intermediate channel; and determining the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or the SNR. This reduces the dimensionality of the first weight, thereby reducing the downlink fronthaul traffic of the second logic unit.

[0019] In one possible design, the second logic unit determines the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), including: the second logic unit performs matrix inversion based on the intermediate channel and / or SNR to determine the first weight. Therefore, assigning the computationally complex matrix inversion operation to the second logic unit reduces the computational complexity of the first logic unit.

[0020] In one possible design, the method further includes: the second logic unit compressing the first weight based on conjugate symmetry to obtain compressed data; and the second logic unit sending the compressed data to the first logic unit. This further reduces the amount of data sent from the second logic unit to the first logic unit.

[0021] In one possible design, the first logical unit is a radio unit (RU) and the second logical unit is a distributed unit (DU); or, the first logical unit is an open radio unit (O-RU) and the second logical unit is an open distributed unit (O-DU).

[0022] In a second aspect, a communication method is provided, the method comprising: a second logic unit determining a third weight based on a channel estimation result, or the second logic unit determining a third weight based on a channel estimation result and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); and determining a layer 2 scheduling result based on the SNR and the third weight; thereby determining a first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or the second logic unit determining a first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the SNR, and sending the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight to a first logic unit so that the first logic unit determines a second weight for beamforming.

[0023] As an example, the second logical unit may be a DU, an O-DU, or other units, components, or modules with similar functions, without limitation.

[0024] In one possible design, the dimension of the first weight corresponding to each frequency domain resource unit is the total number of data streams to be transmitted on the corresponding frequency domain resource unit × the total number of data streams to be transmitted, and the dimension of the second weight corresponding to each frequency domain resource unit is the total number of data streams to be transmitted on the corresponding frequency domain resource unit × the number of transmit antennas of the base station.

[0025] In one possible design, the second logic unit sends a first weight to the first logic unit, including: the second logic unit compresses the first weight according to the conjugate symmetry characteristic to obtain compressed data, and sends the compressed data to the first logic unit.

[0026] In one possible design, the first weight has conjugate symmetry.

[0027] In one possible design, the second logic unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or the second logic unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the signal-to-noise ratio, including: the second logic unit performs dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation result based on the layer 2 scheduling result to obtain an intermediate channel; and determines the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0028] In one possible design, the second logic unit determines the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or signal-to-noise ratio, including: the second logic unit performs matrix inversion operation based on the intermediate channel and / or signal-to-noise ratio to determine the first weight.

[0029] In one possible design, before the second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or before the second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio, the above method further includes: the second logic unit performing channel estimation to obtain the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio; the above method further includes: the second logic unit sending the channel estimation result to the first logic unit.

[0030] In one possible design, before the second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or before the second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the method further includes: the second logic unit receiving the channel estimation result and the SNR from the first logic unit, wherein the channel estimation result and the SNR are obtained by the first logic unit after performing channel estimation.

[0031] In one possible design, the above method further includes: the first logic unit obtaining the second weight for beamforming based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result.

[0032] As an example, the first logical unit may be an RU, an O-RU, or other units, components, or modules with similar functions, without limitation.

[0033] In one possible design, the first logic unit obtains the second weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result, including: the first logic unit performs dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation result based on the layer 2 scheduling result to obtain an intermediate channel; and performs matrix multiplication operation on the intermediate channel and the first weight to obtain the second weight.

[0034] In one possible design, the second logic unit sends the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight to the first logic unit, including: the second logic unit sends a first message to the first logic unit, the first message carrying the layer 2 scheduling result; the second logic unit sends a second message to the first logic unit, the second message carrying the first weight; or, the second logic unit sends a third message to the first logic unit, the third message carrying the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight.

[0035] In one possible design, the first logical unit is a radio unit (RU) and the second logical unit is a distributed unit (DU); or, the first logical unit is an open radio unit (O-RU) and the second logical unit is an open distributed unit (O-DU).

[0036] Thirdly, a communication device is provided. This communication device may be a first logic unit, a device containing a first logic unit, or a device contained within a first logic unit, such as a chip. The communication device includes corresponding modules, units, or means for implementing the method in the first aspect described above. These modules, units, or means may be implemented in hardware, software, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the aforementioned functions.

[0037] The communication device may include: a transceiver unit for receiving a layer 2 scheduling result and a first weight from a second logic unit; and a processing unit for obtaining a second weight for beamforming based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result.

[0038] In one possible design, the dimension of the first weight corresponding to each frequency domain resource unit is the total number of data streams to be transmitted on the corresponding frequency domain resource unit × the total number of data streams to be transmitted, and the dimension of the second weight corresponding to each frequency domain resource unit is the total number of data streams to be transmitted on the corresponding frequency domain resource unit × the number of transmit antennas of the base station.

[0039] In one possible design, the transceiver unit receives a first weight from the second logic unit, including: the transceiver unit receives compressed data from the second logic unit, the compressed data including the first weight.

[0040] In one possible design, the first weight has conjugate symmetry.

[0041] In one possible design, the processing unit obtains the second weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result, including: the processing unit performs dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation result based on the layer 2 scheduling result to obtain an intermediate channel; and performs matrix multiplication on the intermediate channel and the first weight to obtain the second weight.

[0042] In one possible design, before the transceiver unit receives the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight from the second logic unit, the above method further includes: the processing unit performing channel estimation, and the transceiver unit sending the channel estimation result and signal-to-noise ratio to the second logic unit.

[0043] In one possible design, the transceiver unit is further configured to: receive the channel estimation result sent by the second logic unit, wherein the channel estimation result is obtained after the second logic unit performs channel estimation.

[0044] In one possible design, the processing unit is further configured to: determine a third weight based on the channel estimation result, or determine a third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and determine the layer 2 scheduling result based on the SNR and the third weight, and then determine a first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or determine a first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the SNR.

[0045] In one possible design, the processing unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the signal-to-noise ratio, including: the processing unit performs dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation result based on the layer 2 scheduling result to obtain an intermediate channel; and determines the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0046] In one possible design, the processing unit determines the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or signal-to-noise ratio, including: the processing unit performs matrix inversion operation based on the intermediate channel and / or signal-to-noise ratio to determine the first weight.

[0047] In one possible design, the processing unit is further configured to: compress the first weight based on the conjugate symmetry characteristic to obtain compressed data; and send the compressed data to the first logic unit.

[0048] In one possible design, the transceiver unit receives a Layer 2 scheduling result and a first weight from a second logical unit, including: the transceiver unit receives a first message from the second logical unit, the first message carrying the Layer 2 scheduling result; the transceiver unit receives a second message from the second logical unit, the second message carrying the first weight; or, the transceiver unit receives a third message from the second logical unit, the third message carrying the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight.

[0049] In one possible design, the first logical unit is a radio unit (RU) and the second logical unit is a distributed unit (DU); or, the first logical unit is an open radio unit (O-RU) and the second logical unit is an open distributed unit (O-DU).

[0050] Fourthly, a communication device is provided. This communication device can be a second logic unit, a device containing a second logic unit, or a device contained within a second logic unit, such as a chip. The communication device includes corresponding modules, units, or means for implementing the method in the second aspect described above. These modules, units, or means can be implemented in hardware, software, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the functions described above.

[0051] The communication device may include: a processing unit, configured to determine a third weight based on a channel estimation result, or to determine a third weight based on the channel estimation result and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); and to determine a layer 2 scheduling result based on the SNR and the third weight; thereby determining a first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or to determine a first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the SNR. A transceiver unit, configured to send the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight to a first logic unit, so that the first logic unit determines a second weight for beamforming.

[0052] In one possible design, the dimension of the first weight corresponding to each frequency domain resource unit is the total number of data streams to be transmitted on the corresponding frequency domain resource unit × the total number of data streams to be transmitted, and the dimension of the second weight corresponding to each frequency domain resource unit is the total number of data streams to be transmitted on the corresponding frequency domain resource unit × the number of transmit antennas of the base station.

[0053] In one possible design, the transceiver unit sends a first weight to the first logic unit, including: the processing unit compresses the first weight according to the conjugate symmetry characteristic to obtain compressed data, and the transceiver unit sends the compressed data to the first logic unit.

[0054] In one possible design, the first weight has conjugate symmetry.

[0055] In one possible design, the processing unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the signal-to-noise ratio, including: the processing unit performs dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation result based on the layer 2 scheduling result to obtain an intermediate channel; and determines the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0056] In one possible design, the processing unit determines the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or signal-to-noise ratio, including: the processing unit performs matrix inversion operation based on the intermediate channel and / or signal-to-noise ratio to determine the first weight.

[0057] In one possible design, before the processing unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio, the processing unit is further configured to: perform channel estimation to obtain the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio; the method further includes: the transceiver unit sending the channel estimation result to the first logic unit.

[0058] In one possible design, the transceiver unit is further configured to: receive the channel estimation result and signal-to-noise ratio from the first logic unit before the processing unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or before the processing unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio, wherein the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio are obtained by the first logic unit after performing channel estimation.

[0059] In one possible design, the above processing unit is further configured to: obtain a second weight for beamforming based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result.

[0060] In one possible design, the processing unit obtains the second weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result, including: the processing unit performs dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation result based on the layer 2 scheduling result to obtain an intermediate channel; and performs matrix multiplication on the intermediate channel and the first weight to obtain the second weight.

[0061] In one possible design, the transceiver unit sends a Layer 2 scheduling result and a first weight to the first logic unit, including: the transceiver unit sending a first message to the first logic unit, the first message carrying the Layer 2 scheduling result; the transceiver unit sending a second message to the first logic unit, the second message carrying the first weight; or, the transceiver unit sending a third message to the first logic unit, the third message carrying the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight.

[0062] In one possible design, the first logical unit is a radio unit (RU) and the second logical unit is a distributed unit (DU); or, the first logical unit is an open radio unit (O-RU) and the second logical unit is an open distributed unit (O-DU).

[0063] Fifthly, a communication system is provided, comprising: a first logic unit and a second logic unit, the first logic unit being configured to execute the methods described in the first aspect and various possible implementations thereof, and the second logic unit being configured to execute the methods described in the second aspect and various possible implementations thereof.

[0064] Sixthly, a chip is provided, comprising interface circuitry and one or more processors. The one or more processors are coupled to a memory. The memory stores part or all of the computer program or instructions necessary for implementing the functions described in the first and second aspects. The one or more processors are capable of executing the computer program or instructions, which, when executed, cause the communication device to implement the methods in any possible design or implementation of the first and second aspects. The interface circuitry is used to implement communication functions within the communication device and / or communication functions between the communication device and other devices or components.

[0065] A seventh aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions; when the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the computer causes the computer to perform a communication method as designed in any of the foregoing aspects.

[0066] Eighthly, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform a communication method as designed in any of the foregoing aspects.

[0067] The beneficial effects of the methods in any of the second to eighth aspects mentioned above can be referred to the description of the beneficial effects of the methods in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0068] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication network provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a fronthaul network architecture;

[0070] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another fronthaul network architecture;

[0071] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0072] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a communication scenario provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0073] Figure 6 is a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0074] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a layer 2 scheduling method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0075] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the interaction process of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0076] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a fronthaul network architecture provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0077] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the interaction process of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0078] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of another fronthaul network architecture provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0079] Figure 12 is a flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0080] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0081] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0082] To better understand the embodiments of this application, the following points are explained before introducing the embodiments of this application.

[0083] First, in the embodiments of this application, the terms "first," "second," and various numerical designations are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. For example, they distinguish different logical units. Similarly, "first message," "second message," and "third message" are simply used to distinguish different messages and do not limit their order. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first," "second," etc., do not limit the quantity or execution order, and that "first," "second," etc., are not necessarily different.

[0084] Second, in the embodiments of this application, descriptions such as "when," "under the circumstances," "if," and "if" all refer to the fact that the device (e.g., a terminal device or a network device) will make corresponding processing under certain objective circumstances. They are not time limits, nor do they require the device (e.g., a terminal device or a network device) to make a judgment action when implementing it, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0085] Third, in the embodiments of this application, the words "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that they are examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design options. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner to facilitate understanding.

[0086] Fourth, in the embodiments of this application, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "more than one" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of multiple items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0087] Fifth, in the embodiments of this application, "connection" can be a direct connection or an indirect connection; in addition, it can refer to an electrical connection or a communication connection; for example, the connection of two electrical components A and B can refer to A and B being directly connected, or it can refer to A and B being indirectly connected through other electrical components or connection media, or it can refer to A and B being indirectly connected through other communication devices or communication media, as long as it enables communication between A and B.

[0088] Current wireless communication systems can include a radio access network (RAN), a bearer network, and a core network. The RAN primarily consists of base stations. Base stations can be functionally divided into multiple logical units. For example, a base station can be divided into a baseband unit (BBU), a remote radio unit (RRU), and feeders. The base station connects to the core network via the bearer network. Similarly, under the 3GPP New Radio (NR) protocol, a 5G base station (next-generation nodeb, gNodeB) can be divided into a control unit (CU) and a distribution unit (DU). Furthermore, under the O-RAN (open radio access network) architecture, a base station can be divided into a CU, a DU, and a RU. The communication between the various logical units within a base station can be illustrated in Figure 1. Transmission between the BBU (integrating CU and DU functions) and the RRU (RU) can be "fronthaul," transmission between the BBU and the core network can be "backhaul," and transmission between the DU and the CU can be "midhaul."

[0089] The fronthaul interface protocol between the BBU and RRU can be the Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) protocol. Due to the demands for high spectral efficiency and high data rates, the fronthaul network urgently needs to compress communication bandwidth. To meet these requirements, the fronthaul interface protocol between the DU and RU can be the Enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI). Compared to CPRI, eCPRI can offload digital signal processing (DSP) functions such as modulation, mapping, precoding, and cyclic prefix addition to the RU, thereby reducing the pressure on the fronthaul transmission rate.

[0090] In current communication systems, beamforming information can be transmitted via fronthaul to instruct the corresponding logic units to perform beamforming (BF). Beamforming is a signal processing technique that uses an antenna array to transmit and receive signals in a directional manner. By adjusting the basic elements and phase parameters of the antenna array, signals at certain angles achieve constructive interference, while signals at other angles achieve destructive interference, allowing the target signal to be aligned with the target receiving device. Beamforming can include, but is not limited to, analog beamforming, digital beamforming, and precoding. For ease of description, the information used to instruct beamforming is simply referred to as beamforming information.

[0091] In some examples, the fronthaul network architecture for transmitting beamforming information can be as shown in Figure 2. The architecture shown in Figure 2 can be a weight-based dynamic beamforming (WDBF) architecture. The beamforming information transmission process can include: the terminal sending a sounding reference signal (SRS) to the DU; the DU performing channel estimation based on the SRS to obtain the channel estimation result, and performing layer 2 (L2) scheduling based on the channel estimation result to determine the terminal scheduling method corresponding to different frequency bands, thereby obtaining the layer 2 scheduling result. The terminal scheduling method can be single-user (SU) scheduling, multi-user (MU) scheduling, etc.; the DU calculating MU weights (beamforming information) based on the channel estimation result and the layer 2 scheduling result, and sending the calculated MU weights to the RU through the fronthaul interface, so that the RU can perform beamforming based on the MU weights.

[0092] The SRS is a reference signal sent by the terminal to the base station to estimate the uplink channel state. The base station can perform channel estimation on the SRS to obtain the channel estimation result. In time division duplex (TDD) scenarios, the base station can leverage the reciprocity between the uplink and downlink channels to generate weights for downlink precoding, i.e., MU weights, based on the channel estimation result.

[0093] However, with the requirements of larger antenna scale and greater transmission bandwidth, the fronthaul traffic of the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 2 has exceeded the traffic limit supported by physical optical modules. These physical optical modules are used for the conversion between optical and electrical signals, enabling data to be transmitted over optical fibers at higher speeds and over longer distances. For example, when the antenna array reaches 256 units, the air interface transmission bandwidth is 400MHz, and the DU transmits 64 user data streams, the fronthaul downlink traffic of the fronthaul network architecture in Figure 2 will exceed 400Gbps, while the maximum capacity supported by the optical modules is 200Gbps.

[0094] In some examples, the fronthaul network architecture for transmitting beamforming information can be as shown in Figure 3. The architecture shown in Figure 3 can be a channel-information-based beamforming (CIBF) architecture. The beamforming information transmission process can include: the terminal sending SRS to the DU; the DU performing channel estimation based on the SRS to obtain the channel estimation result, and sending the channel estimation result to the RU through the fronthaul interface; the DU performing L2 scheduling based on the channel estimation result, and sending the L2 scheduling result to the RU; the RU calculating MU weights based on the channel estimation and L2 scheduling results, which are used for beamforming based on the MU weights.

[0095] However, the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 3 requires weight calculation on the RUs, increasing the computational complexity of the RUs. On the other hand, when performing multi-RU cooperative communication under the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 3, each RU needs to obtain channel information of other RUs from the DU, which will lead to a larger fronthaul traffic and also impose a huge storage burden on the RUs.

[0096] To address this, this application provides a communication method comprising: a second logic unit determining a third weight based on a channel estimation result; or, the second logic unit determining a third weight based on the channel estimation result and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and determining a Layer 2 scheduling result based on the SNR and the third weight, and then determining a first weight based on the Layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result; or, the second logic unit determining a first weight based on the Layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the SNR; the second logic unit sending the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight to a first logic unit; and the first logic unit obtaining a second weight for beamforming based on the channel estimation result, the received Layer 2 scheduling result, and the first weight. Based on this communication method, the first logic unit obtains the second weight based on the channel estimation result, the received Layer 2 scheduling result, and the first weight. By having the first and second logic units each handle a portion of the calculation of the second weight, the computational complexity of the first logic unit can be reduced, and the downlink fronthaul traffic of the second logic unit can be reduced.

[0097] For example, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system 4000 provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 4, the communication system 4000 includes a radio access network (RAN) 100, wherein the RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (110a and 110b in Figure 4, collectively referred to as 110), and may also include at least one terminal (120a-120j in Figure 4, collectively referred to as 120). The RAN 100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay devices and / or wireless backhaul devices (not shown in Figure 4). The terminal 120 is wirelessly connected to the RAN node 110. Terminals and RAN nodes can be interconnected via wired or wireless means. The communication system 1000 may also include a core network 200. The RAN node 110 is connected to the core network 200 via wireless or wired means. The core network equipment in core network 200 and the RAN node 110 in RAN 100 can be independent and different physical devices, or they can be the same physical device that integrates the logical functions of the core network equipment and the logical functions of the RAN node. Communication system 1000 may also include Internet 300.

[0098] RAN100 can be an evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) system, a new radio (NR) system, a future communications network, or a future radio access system as defined in the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP). RAN100 can also include two or more of the above-mentioned different radio access systems. RAN100 can also be an open RAN (O-RAN).

[0099] RAN nodes, also known as radio access network devices, RAN entities, or access nodes, are used to help terminals access communication systems wirelessly. In one application scenario, an RAN node can be a base station (BS), an evolved NodeB (eNodeB / eNB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a generation NodeB (gNB) in a 5th generation (5G) mobile communication system, a future base station in a future communication network, or a base station in a future mobile communication system. RAN nodes can be macro base stations (as shown in Figure 4, 110a), micro base stations or indoor stations (as shown in Figure 4, 110b), relay nodes, or master nodes.

[0100] In another application scenario, multiple RAN nodes can collaborate to help terminals achieve wireless access, with different RAN nodes implementing different functions of the base station. For example, a RAN node can be a CU, DU, or RU. An RU can also be called a radio frequency unit. Here, the CU performs the functions of the base station's Radio Resource Control (RRC) and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), and can also perform the functions of the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP). The DU performs the functions of the base station's Radio Link Control (RANC) and Medium Access Control (MAC) layers, and can also perform some or all of the physical layer functions. For specific descriptions of these protocol layers, refer to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications. The RU can be used to implement radio frequency signal transmission and reception. The CU and DU can be two independent RAN nodes, or they can be integrated into the same RAN node, such as within a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency equipment, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU) or an active antenna unit (AAU). The CU can be further divided into two types of RAN nodes: CU-control plane and CU-user plane.

[0101] In different systems, RAN nodes may have different names. For example, in an open radio access network (O-RAN) system, a CU can be called an open CU (O-CU), a DU can be called an open DU (O-DU), and an RU can be called an open RU (O-RU). The RAN nodes in the embodiments of this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. For example, an RAN node can be a server loaded with the corresponding software modules. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the RAN nodes. For ease of description, a base station is used as an example of a RAN node in the following description.

[0102] A terminal is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, capable of sending signals to or receiving signals from a base station. Terminals can also be called terminal equipment, user equipment (UE), mobile station, mobile terminal, etc. Terminals can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, smart cities, etc. Terminals can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the terminal.

[0103] In some examples, the core network 200 may include any core network device such as the access and mobility management function (AMF) entity, the session management function (SMF) entity, the user plane function (UPF) entity, the sensing service control function (SSCF), the sensing data processing function (SDPF), and the unified data management (UDM).

[0104] Base stations and terminals can be fixed or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can be deployed on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the base stations and terminals.

[0105] The roles of base stations and terminals can be relative. For example, the helicopter or drone 120i in Figure 4 can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminals 120j that access the wireless access network 100 through 120i, terminal 120i is a base station; however, for base station 110a, 120i is a terminal, meaning that 110a and 120i communicate via a wireless air interface protocol. Of course, 110a and 120i can also communicate via a base station-to-base station interface protocol. In this case, relative to 110a, 120i is also a base station. Therefore, both base stations and terminals can be collectively referred to as communication devices. 110a and 110b in Figure 4 can be called communication devices with base station functions, and 120a-120j in Figure 4 can be called communication devices with terminal functions.

[0106] Communication between base stations and terminals, between base stations, and between terminals can be conducted using licensed spectrum, unlicensed spectrum, or both simultaneously. Communication can be conducted using spectrum below 6 GHz, spectrum above 6 GHz, or both simultaneously. The embodiments of this application do not limit the spectrum resources used for wireless communication.

[0107] In the embodiments of this application, the functions of the base station can be executed by modules (such as chips) within the base station, or by a control subsystem that includes base station functions. This control subsystem, including base station functions, can be a control center in the aforementioned application scenarios such as smart grids, industrial control, intelligent transportation, and smart cities. Similarly, the functions of the terminal can be executed by modules (such as chips or modems) within the terminal, or by a device that includes terminal functions.

[0108] In a wireless communication system, communication devices are included, and these devices can communicate wirelessly using air interface resources. These communication devices can include network devices and terminal devices; network devices can also be called base station devices, i.e., the wireless access network devices mentioned above. Air interface resources can include at least one of time-domain resources, frequency-domain resources, code resources, and spatial resources. These communication devices can also be called communication apparatuses.

[0109] The solutions provided in this application can be applied to wireless communication between communication devices. Wireless communication can include: wireless communication between network devices and terminals, wireless communication between network devices, and wireless communication between terminals. In this application, the term "wireless communication" can also be simply referred to as "communication," and the term "communication" can also be described as "data transmission," "information transmission," or "transmission."

[0110] For example, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a communication scenario provided by an embodiment of this application.

[0111] As shown in Figure 5, the access network device can be divided into multiple logical units such as RU 510, DU 520, and CU 530. Of course, the access network device may include one or more RU 510, one or more DU 520, and one or more CU 530. The CU 530 is connected to the 5G core network (5GC) 540 to enable communication with the core network device. In various embodiments of this application, the core network device may also be referred to as a core network element.

[0112] Among them, 5GC 540 can be connected to multiple CU 530, one CU 530 can be connected to multiple DU 520, and one DU 520 can be connected to multiple RU 510.

[0113] The access network device can be a gNB. The access network device provides NR user plane and control plane protocol endpoints to the terminal and communicates with the 5GC 540 via the NG (next generation, NG) interface. The access network device is used to provide wireless network connectivity between the terminal and the core network.

[0114] The CU 530 can manage the radio resource control (RRC) layer protocols, service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) layer protocols, and packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer protocols of access network devices, as well as control one or more DU operations. The CU 530 communicates with the DU 520 via the F1 interface.

[0115] The DU 520 can manage the radio link control (RLC) layer, medium access control (MAC) layer, and physical (PHY) layer of access network devices, and its operation is controlled by the CU 530. One DU 520 can support one or more cells, and one cell supports one DU 520.

[0116] The RU 510 can be referred to as a wireless unit, radio frequency unit, or radio frequency remote unit. Its main functions include receiving and transmitting baseband signals, as well as modulation and demodulation of radio frequency signals, data processing, and power amplification. The RU 510 can also establish physical transmission links with multiple terminal 550 units. The RU can be deployed close to the antenna, resulting in low feeder loss.

[0117] The 5GC 540 may include one or more possible core network elements such as AMF, SMF, UPF, and UDM entities. The 5GC and RAN together constitute the 5G network, providing users with service channels to connect to data networks and servers. Of course, the 5GC 540 can also be replaced by the core network of future communication systems; this application does not limit this.

[0118] The RAN provides wireless network connectivity between the terminal 550 and the core network. The RAN can include access network equipment, such as gNBs. In some cases, "access network equipment" can refer to the entire RAN. RAN deployment can include centralized RAN (CRAN) and distributed RAN (DRAN). CRAN uses a separate BBU and RRU architecture, with each BBU located in a central equipment room, forming a BBU pool. It communicates with the RRUs via the fronthaul network. DRAN uses a distributed deployment of BBUs and RRUs, with each BBU deployed separately in a rack. RRUs can be deployed together with the BBUs in a rack, or they can be deployed close to the antenna on a tower.

[0119] In some examples, RU 510, DU 520, and CU 530 can be deployed on the same physical device or on different physical devices. Alternatively, some logic units in RU 510, DU 520, and CU 530 may be deployed on the same physical device, while other logic units may be deployed on different physical devices. This application does not impose any limitations on these embodiments.

[0120] It is understandable that access network equipment can also include cases where it is split into two logical units. For example, if CU 530 and DU 520 are deployed on the same physical device, CU 530 and DU 520 can be regarded as a single logical unit. Alternatively, if DU 520 and RU 510 are deployed on the same physical device, DU 520 and RU 510 can be regarded as a single logical unit.

[0121] Of course, this application is not limited to the 5G network architecture; the embodiments of this application are also applicable to LTE networks and other possible future network architectures such as future communication networks. It should be understood that the embodiments of this application can be applied to any network architecture with communication connectivity capabilities.

[0122] The following will describe in detail a communication method provided by an embodiment of this application with reference to Figures 6-12. This communication process is applicable to, but not limited to, the communication architecture shown in Figure 1 and the communication scenario shown in Figure 5. This method can be applied to LTE, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) systems, LTE TDD, 5G systems or NR systems, future communication systems (such as future communication systems), V2X, where V2X can include vehicle-to-network (V2N), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P), long-term evolution-vehicle (LTE-V), vehicle-to-everything (V2X), MTC, IoT, long-term evolution-machine (LTE-M), machine-to-machine (M2M), and D2D wireless communication scenarios. The first and second logical units involved in the embodiments of this application can be access network devices. In this embodiment, the first logical unit and the second logical unit can be deployed on the same access network device or on different access network devices; this application does not impose any limitations on this. The following description will use an example where the first logical unit is an RU and the second logical unit is a DU. Of course, in other examples, the first logical unit can also be an O-RU and the second logical unit can also be an O-DU; this application does not impose any limitations on this. In the various embodiments of this application, the logical unit can also be referred to as a network-side device, network device, network equipment, functional entity, etc., and is not limited thereto.

[0123] For example, Figure 6 is a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 6, the communication method includes the following steps:

[0124] S601, the first logic unit receives the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight from the second logic unit.

[0125] In one possible design, the first logic unit receives first information and second information from other logic units. The first message carries the layer 2 scheduling result, and the second message carries the first weight. The first logic unit may receive the first message and the second message simultaneously, or it may receive them at different times; there is no limitation on this.

[0126] In another possible design, the first logic unit receives third information from the first logic unit, and the third message carries the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight.

[0127] In one possible implementation, the first weight can be obtained by the second logic unit through the following steps: determining a third weight based on the channel estimation result; or, determining a third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and determining the Layer 2 scheduling result based on the SNR and the third weight, and determining the first weight based on the Layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result; or, determining the first weight based on the Layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the SNR. Further, the second logic unit can send the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight to the first logic unit via first information and second information; the second logic unit can also send the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight to the first logic unit via third information.

[0128] In some examples, the channel estimation results are used to represent the effects and changes that a signal experiences during transmission in the channel. For example, the channel estimation results in this application can be obtained by estimating the channel between the terminal and the base station using SRS.

[0129] In some examples, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can refer to the ratio of signal power to noise power. A higher SNR value indicates better signal quality and less noise. For example, in this application, SNR can refer to the SRS (signal-to-noise ratio).

[0130] In some examples, the third weight can be the SU weight. A terminal can correspond to one or more data streams to be transmitted, and each data stream to be transmitted corresponds to one SU weight. An SU weight can contain one or more weight vectors, each weight vector representing the weight distribution of the corresponding data stream to be transmitted on a frequency domain resource unit. The weight distribution can represent the weights of each transmit antenna corresponding to the base station, and the weights corresponding to each transmit antenna can include, but are not limited to, in-phase and quadrature components (IQ). The data stream to be transmitted refers to the data that the base station needs to transmit to the terminal.

[0131] For example, the terminal is a UE, and the base station has N. T For each transmit antenna, the weight vector W can represent the weight distribution of flow 1 in UE1 on the frequency domain resource unit PRB bundle0. Therefore, W can be (w1, w2, ..., wN) T ), where w1 can refer to the weight of stream 1 in frequency domain resource unit PRB bundle0 under the first transmit antenna.

[0132] In some examples, the third weight can be obtained by the second logic unit based on the channel estimation result.

[0133] In some examples, the third weight can be obtained by the second logic unit based on the channel estimation results and the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0134] In some examples, Layer 2 scheduling represents the terminal scheduling method corresponding to different frequency domain resource units, such as SU scheduling, MU scheduling, etc. The results of Layer 2 scheduling can be used to group the data streams to be transmitted, and each group can contain one or more data streams to be transmitted.

[0135] After L2 scheduling is completed, each group can have a corresponding frequency domain resource unit, which enables different data streams to be transmitted by different UEs within each group to perform spatial multiplexing of time and frequency resources, and different data streams to be transmitted by different UEs between different groups to perform frequency multiplexing.

[0136] Frequency domain resource elements can include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: RE (Resource Element), RE bundle, RB (Resource Block), PRB (Physical Resource Block), or PRB bundle, where RE is the smallest unit of frequency domain resource elements.

[0137] As shown in Table 1, the Layer 2 scheduling result may include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following: the number of scheduled frequency domain resource units, the number of terminals corresponding to the k-th frequency domain resource unit and the terminal identifier (ueId), the identifier of the data stream to be transmitted of the n-th terminal in the k-th frequency domain resource unit, whether the k-th frequency domain resource unit is SU-paired or MU-paired, and the selectable frequency domain resource unit size (number of REs included). The number of frequency domain resource units represents the total number of frequency domain resource units occupied by the scheduled data streams to be transmitted. The number of terminals corresponding to the k-th frequency domain resource unit represents the number of terminals occupying the k-th frequency domain resource unit, and the identifier of the terminal corresponding to the k-th frequency domain resource unit represents the UE occupying the k-th frequency domain resource unit. The identifier of the data stream to be transmitted of the n-th terminal in the k-th frequency domain resource unit represents the data stream to be transmitted occupying the k-th frequency domain resource unit in the n-th terminal. Whether the k-th frequency domain resource unit is SU-paired or MU-paired represents whether the packet corresponding to the k-th frequency domain resource unit includes one or more data streams to be transmitted. The optional frequency domain resource unit size can characterize the number of REs contained in each frequency domain resource unit.

[0138] Table 1

[0139] As an example, after determining the third weight, for the same frequency domain resource unit, the second logic unit can determine the correlation between the third weight corresponding to each data stream to be transmitted in that frequency domain resource unit and the third weight corresponding to other data streams to be transmitted, and determine the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of each data stream to be transmitted in that frequency domain resource unit based on the SNR. Thus, the L2 scheduling result is determined based on the correlation and SNR. Specifically, data streams to be transmitted in the same group have high SNR and weak correlation of their corresponding third weights. The SNR can be determined based on a preset SNR; a high SNR can be understood as greater than or equal to the preset SNR, and a low SNR can be understood as less than or equal to the preset SNR. Similarly, the correlation strength can be determined based on a preset value; a strong correlation can be understood as greater than or equal to the preset value, and a weak correlation can be understood as less than or equal to the preset value.

[0140] For example, with the terminal being a UE, the process of the second logical unit performing layer 2 scheduling can be shown in Figure 7. The left side of Figure 7 shows the frequency domain resource occupancy before layer 2 scheduling. As can be seen from the left side of Figure 7, each data stream to be transmitted by each UE will be transmitted on all frequency domain resource units. For example, both PRB bundle0 and PRB bundle0 include stream 1 of UE1, stream 1 of UE2, stream 2 of UE2, and stream 1 of UE3. The occupancy pattern shown in the left figure of Figure 7 leads to high mutual interference between UE data streams. Therefore, for the same frequency domain resource unit, the second logic unit can determine the correlation between the third weight corresponding to each data stream to be transmitted in the frequency domain resource unit and the third weight corresponding to other data streams to be transmitted, as well as the signal-to-noise ratio of each data stream to be transmitted in the frequency domain resource unit, based on the third weight corresponding to each data stream to be transmitted in the frequency domain resource unit. Data streams with high signal-to-noise ratios and weak correlation of third weights are grouped together, so that after Layer 2 scheduling is completed, data streams not in the group of that frequency domain resource unit are deleted. This results in the frequency domain resource occupancy situation after Layer 2 scheduling is completed, as shown in the right figure of Figure 7. The number of UE data streams contained within each frequency domain resource unit in the right figure of Figure 7 is reduced, thereby reducing mutual interference between different UE data streams. For example, the group corresponding to PRB bundle0 in the right figure of Figure 7 includes stream 2 of UE2 and stream 1 of UE3, and the group corresponding to PRB bundle0 includes stream 1 of UE1 and stream 1 of UE2.

[0141] As an example, after completing the layer 2 scheduling, the second logic unit can perform dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation results based on the layer 2 scheduling results to obtain the intermediate channel, and determine the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or signal-to-noise ratio.

[0142] As an example, the second logic unit can obtain the grouping results of the data stream to be transmitted based on the layer 2 scheduling results; and perform dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation results based on the grouping results to obtain the intermediate channel.

[0143] In some examples, the packetization results of the data stream to be transmitted may include, but are not limited to, the packetization results corresponding to each of multiple frequency domain resource units. Based on the reciprocity between uplink and downlink channels, an intermediate channel can represent the channel information of the data stream to be transmitted in the corresponding packet. The channel information of the data stream to be transmitted may include, but is not limited to, the influences and changes experienced by the data stream during transmission in the channel. One frequency domain resource unit can correspond to one intermediate channel.

[0144] As an example, for a frequency domain resource unit, the second logic unit can obtain the data stream to be transmitted included in the grouping result based on the grouping result of the frequency domain resource unit, delete the channel information of other data streams to be transmitted besides the data streams to be transmitted included in the grouping result in the channel estimation result, and obtain the intermediate channel of the frequency domain resource unit.

[0145] In some examples, it is assumed that the channel estimation result on the k-th frequency domain resource unit (k = 0, 1, 2, ..., K-1) is Where N represents the total number of data streams to be transmitted, N T H represents the number of transmit antennas of the base station, K represents the total number of frequency domain resource units, then H k Each row in the table can represent the channel information of a data stream to be transmitted. The second logic unit can delete H based on the grouping result of the k-th frequency domain resource unit. k The intermediate channel of the k-th frequency domain resource unit is obtained by identifying the rows of data streams to be transmitted that are not included in the grouping results. Where, N k This represents the total number of data streams to be transmitted on the k-th frequency domain resource unit.

[0146] As an example, the second logic unit can determine the first weight by performing matrix inversion on the intermediate channel and / or signal-to-noise ratio. That is, the second logic unit can directly perform matrix inversion on the intermediate channel and / or signal-to-noise ratio to determine the first weight. Alternatively, the second logic unit can first perform correlation operations on the intermediate channel and / or signal-to-noise ratio to obtain the corresponding operation result, and then perform matrix inversion on the operation result to determine the first weight; this application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0147] In some examples, the relevant operations include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: matrix transpose, matrix multiplication, matrix addition, and matrix subtraction.

[0148] In some examples, the second logic unit can apply the minimum mean-square error (MMSE) criterion to determine the first weight based on intermediate channel information and the signal-to-noise ratio. The formula for calculating the first weight is: W′ k =[H′ k (H′ k ) H +δ 2 I] -1 , k = 0, 1, 2, ..., K-1. Where, (·) H The conjugate transpose of a matrix is ​​represented by (·). -1 This represents finding the inverse of a matrix, where I represents the identity matrix, and δ... 2 This indicates the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0149] In some examples, the first weight may include, but is not limited to, in-phase and quadrature components.

[0150] S602, the first logic unit obtains the second weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight and the channel estimation result, and the second weight is used for beamforming.

[0151] In some examples, the second weight can be the MU weight.

[0152] As one possible implementation, the first logical unit can perform dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation results based on the layer 2 scheduling results to obtain the intermediate channel, and perform matrix multiplication on the intermediate channel and the first weight to obtain the second weight.

[0153] As an example, the first logic unit can obtain the grouping result of the data stream to be transmitted based on the layer 2 scheduling result, and obtain the intermediate channel based on the grouping result and the channel estimation result, and then perform matrix multiplication operation on the intermediate channel and the first weight to obtain the second weight.

[0154] As an example, the relevant introduction to obtaining the intermediate channel by the first logic unit can be found in the introduction to obtaining the intermediate channel by the second logic unit above, and will not be repeated here.

[0155] In some examples, the first logic unit can apply the MMSE criterion to determine the second weight based on the intermediate channel and the first weight. The formula for calculating the second weight is: W MU,k =(H′) k ) H W′ k ,k=0,1,2,...,K-1.

[0156] As can be seen from the above calculation formula, the dimension of the second weight corresponding to the k-th frequency domain resource unit is the total number of data streams to be transmitted on that frequency domain resource unit × the number of base station transmit antennas, that is... The dimension of the first weight corresponding to the k-th frequency domain resource unit is the total number of data streams to be transmitted in that frequency domain resource unit × the total number of data streams to be transmitted, that is... Generally, the number of transmit antennas of a base station is greater than the total number of data streams to be transmitted in a frequency domain resource unit, thereby reducing the amount of data sent from the second logic unit to the first logic unit. This makes the dimension of the first weight smaller than the dimension of the second weight. For example, if the total number of data streams to be transmitted is 3 and the number of transmit antennas of the base station is 50, then the dimension of the first weight is 9 (3×3) and the dimension of the second weight is 150 (3×50). That is, the amount of data in the first weight is less than the amount of data in the second weight, which reduces the downlink forwarding traffic of the second logic unit.

[0157] Furthermore, in some examples, the first weight has conjugate symmetry properties; for example, the first weight W′ k It could be a conjugate symmetric matrix, W′ k The upper / lower triangular portion (including the diagonal) can represent W′. k The entire content. Thus, to further reduce the amount of data sent by the second logic unit, the second logic unit can compress the first weight based on the conjugate symmetry characteristic, obtain compressed data, and send the compressed data to the first logic unit, so that the data dimension when transmitting the first weight is reduced from N. k ×N k Become Accordingly, the first logic unit receives compressed data from the second logic unit and decompresses the compressed data to obtain the first weight in the compressed data.

[0158] It should be noted that the conjugate symmetry property of the first weight can be understood as the first weight being composed of a conjugate symmetric matrix, or as the first weight being composed of a conjugate symmetric matrix and other content. The types of other content include, but are not limited to, matrices, numerical values, vectors, and arrays that are different from the conjugate symmetric matrix. When the first weight includes compressible content other than the conjugate symmetric matrix, the second logic unit can also compress the compressible content of the first weight other than the conjugate symmetric matrix to obtain compressed data.

[0159] In some examples, the first weight can also have other compressibility properties besides conjugate symmetry. For example, other compressibility properties can be reflected by matrix types such as diagonal matrices, triangular matrices, sparse matrices, etc.

[0160] It should be noted that the channel estimation result used by the first logic unit when determining the second weight can be calculated by the first logic unit itself. In this case, as a possible implementation, the first logic unit performs channel estimation to obtain the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); the first logic unit then sends the channel estimation result and the SNR to the second logic unit.

[0161] The channel estimation result required by the first logic unit when determining the second weight can also be the channel estimation result received by the first logic unit from the second logic unit. In this case, the channel estimation result is obtained after the second logic unit performs channel estimation, and the signal-to-noise ratio can also be obtained after the second logic unit performs channel estimation.

[0162] Based on the communication method shown in Figure 6, the first logic unit obtains the second weight for beamforming according to the channel estimation result, the received layer 2 scheduling result, and the first weight. This is equivalent to the second logic unit typically only needing to send the first weight, which has a data volume smaller than the second weight. Therefore, compared to the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 2, the communication method provided in this application reduces the amount of data sent from the second logic unit to the first logic unit, thus reducing the downlink fronthaul traffic of the second logic unit. Furthermore, the second logic unit obtains the first weight through a computationally complex inversion operation, and the first logic unit obtains the second weight through a multiplication operation. This is equivalent to the first and second logic units collaboratively completing the calculation of the second weight. Therefore, compared to the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 3, the communication method provided in this application reduces the computational complexity of the first logic unit.

[0163] The following section provides a detailed explanation of one interaction process involved in the communication method shown in Figure 6, using the first logical unit as RU, the second logical unit as DU, and the terminal as UE. For the case where the first logical unit is O-RU and the second logical unit is O-DU, Figure 8 can also be referenced.

[0164] For example, Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the interaction process of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 8, the method includes the following steps:

[0165] S801, the UE sends an SRS to the RU. Correspondingly, the RU receives the SRS from the UE.

[0166] As one possible implementation, one or more UEs within a cell can send SRS to the RU. The RU receives the SRS from one or more UEs.

[0167] S802 and RU perform channel estimation based on the received SRS and send the channel estimation results and signal-to-noise ratio to DU.

[0168] For a related introduction to channel estimation, please refer to the above introduction to S601 in Figure 6, which will not be repeated here.

[0169] In some examples, the RU can also send an SRS to the DU so that the DU can perform the relevant tasks required by the DU based on the SRS.

[0170] S803 and DU determine the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or determine the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0171] For a detailed explanation of how to determine the third weight, please refer to the explanation of S601 in Figure 6 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0172] S804 and DU determine the Layer 2 scheduling result based on the signal-to-noise ratio and the third weight.

[0173] For a detailed explanation of how to determine the Layer 2 scheduling results based on the signal-to-noise ratio and the third weight, please refer to the explanation of S601 in Figure 6 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0174] S805 and DU determine the first weight based on the Layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or determine the first weight based on the Layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0175] For a detailed explanation of how to determine the first weight, please refer to the explanation of S601 in Figure 6 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0176] S806 and RU receive the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight from DU.

[0177] For a detailed explanation of receiving the Layer 2 scheduling results and the first weight from the DU, please refer to the above explanation of S601 in Figure 6, which will not be repeated here.

[0178] S807 and RU obtain the second weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result.

[0179] For a detailed explanation of how to obtain the second weight based on the Layer 2 scheduling results, the first weight, and the channel estimation results, please refer to the explanation of S602 in Figure 6 above. This will not be repeated here.

[0180] Regarding the communication method shown in Figure 8, this application also provides a fronthaul network architecture as shown in Figure 9. In Figure 9, the RU can send the channel estimation result and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to the DU through the fronthaul interface, so that the DU can determine the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or determine the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the SNR, and determine the layer 2 scheduling result based on the SNR and the third weight. After determining the layer 2 scheduling result, the DU can send the layer 2 scheduling result to the RU in real time through the fronthaul interface; it can also determine the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or determine the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the SNR, and send the first weight to the RU in real time through the fronthaul interface. After receiving the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight, the RU can obtain the second weight for beamforming based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result. The transmission time required for the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight is relatively short, typically less than or equal to the length of one time slot. For example, when the subcarrier spacing is 30kHz and the corresponding time slot is 0.5ms, the transmission time of the first weight can be 0.5ms or 0.2ms.

[0181] In some examples, the RU in Figure 9 can also send an SRS to the DU so that the DU can perform the relevant tasks required by the DU based on the SRS.

[0182] As shown in Table 2, the fronthaul data of the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 9 includes the first weight and the layer 2 scheduling result. The fronthaul data of the fronthaul network architecture in Figure 2 (the fronthaul network architecture based on WDBF) includes the second weight. The fronthaul data of the fronthaul network architecture in Figure 3 (the fronthaul network architecture based on CIBF) includes the channel estimation result and the layer 2 scheduling result.

[0183] Table 2

[0184] Therefore, based on the communication method shown in Figure 8, the RU obtains the second weight for beamforming based on the channel estimation result, the received Layer 2 scheduling result, and the first weight. This is equivalent to the DU sending the first weight, which is normally smaller in dimension than the second weight, and the Layer 2 scheduling result, whose data volume is negligible compared to the second weight, to the RU. Thus, compared to the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 2, the communication method provided in this application reduces the amount of data sent from the DU to the RU, thereby reducing the downlink fronthaul traffic of the DU. Furthermore, the DU obtains the first weight through a computationally complex inversion operation, and the RU obtains the second weight through a multiplication operation. This is equivalent to the RU and DU collaboratively completing the calculation of the second weight. Therefore, compared to the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 3, the communication method provided in this application reduces the computational complexity of the RU. Moreover, the channel estimation result used by the RU to obtain the second weight is calculated by the RU itself, rather than being sent to the RU by the DU, thereby reducing the amount of data sent from the DU to the RU. Furthermore, since the traffic corresponding to the first weight is usually less than the traffic corresponding to the second weight (for example, if the base station transmits 16 data streams and the total number of base station transmit antennas is 64, the traffic corresponding to the first weight is approximately 1 / 8 of the traffic corresponding to the second weight), this application does not increase the fronthaul traffic excessively in order to reduce the computational complexity of the RU. The following describes in detail another interaction process involved in the communication method shown in Figure 6, taking the first logical unit as the RU, the second logical unit as the DU, and the terminal as the UE. For the case where the first logical unit is O-RU and the second logical unit is O-DU, Figure 10 can also be referred to.

[0185] For example, Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the interaction process of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 10, the method includes the following steps:

[0186] S1001, UE sends SRS to RU.

[0187] For a detailed explanation of how the UE sends SRS to the RU, please refer to the description of S801 in Figure 8 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0188] S1002 and RU send the received SRS to DU.

[0189] As one possible implementation, the RU can send the received SRS to the DU via the fronthaul interface.

[0190] S1003 and DU perform channel estimation based on the received SRS, obtain the channel estimation result and signal-to-noise ratio, and send the channel estimation result to RU.

[0191] For a related introduction to channel estimation, please refer to the above introduction to S601 in Figure 6, which will not be repeated here.

[0192] S1004, DU determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0193] S1005 and DU determine the Layer 2 scheduling result based on the signal-to-noise ratio and the third weight.

[0194] S1006, DU determines the first weight based on the Layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or determines the first weight based on the Layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0195] S1007 and RU receive the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight from DU.

[0196] S1008 and RU obtain the second weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result.

[0197] It is understood that steps S1004-S1008 are similar to steps S803-S807, and will not be described again in the embodiments of this application.

[0198] Regarding the communication method shown in Figure 10, this application also provides a fronthaul network architecture as shown in Figure 11. In Figure 11, the RU can send data to the DU through the fronthaul interface SRS, enabling the DU to perform channel estimation based on the SRS and obtain the channel estimation result and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). After obtaining the channel estimation result and SNR, the DU can send the channel estimation result back to the RU through the fronthaul interface; it can also determine a third weight based on the channel estimation result, or determine a third weight based on the channel estimation result and SNR, and then determine the layer 2 scheduling result based on the SNR and the third weight; after determining the layer 2 scheduling result, the DU can send the layer 2 scheduling result back to the RU in real time through the fronthaul interface; it can also determine a first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or determine a first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the SNR, and send the first weight back to the RU in real time through the fronthaul interface; after receiving the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight, the RU can obtain a second weight for beamforming based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result. The transmission time required for the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight is relatively short, typically less than or equal to the length of one time slot. For example, when the subcarrier spacing is 30kHz and the corresponding time slot is 0.5ms, the transmission time for the first weight can be 0.5ms or 0.2ms. The channel estimation result can be transmitted non-real-time, and the required transmission time is longer than that required for the Layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight.

[0199] As shown in Table 3, the fronthaul data of the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 11 includes the first weight and the layer 2 scheduling result. The fronthaul data of the fronthaul network architecture in Figure 2 (the fronthaul network architecture based on WDBF) includes the second weight. The fronthaul data of the fronthaul network architecture in Figure 3 (the fronthaul network architecture based on CIBF) includes the channel estimation result and the layer 2 scheduling result.

[0200] Table 3

[0201] Therefore, based on the communication method shown in Figure 11, the RU obtains the second weight for beamforming according to the channel estimation result, the received Layer 2 scheduling result, and the first weight. The data sent by the DU to the RU includes: the first weight (usually with a dimension smaller than the second weight), the Layer 2 scheduling result (whose data volume is negligible compared to the second weight), and the channel estimation result with a longer transmission time period. Thus, compared to the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 2, the communication method provided in this application reduces the amount of data sent by the DU to the RU, thereby reducing the downlink fronthaul traffic of the DU. Furthermore, the DU obtains the first weight through a computationally complex inversion operation, and the RU obtains the second weight through a multiplication operation. This is equivalent to the RU and DU collaboratively completing the calculation of the second weight. Therefore, compared to the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 3, the communication method provided in this application reduces the computational complexity of the RU. Furthermore, since the traffic corresponding to the first weight is usually less than the traffic corresponding to the second weight (for example, if the base station transmits 16 data streams and the total number of base station transmit antennas is 64, the traffic corresponding to the first weight is about 1 / 8 of the traffic corresponding to the second weight), this application does not increase the fronthaul traffic excessively in order to reduce the computational complexity of the RU. Moreover, the channel estimation result used by the RU to obtain the second weight is sent to the RU by the DU, rather than calculated by the RU itself. Therefore, compared to the communication method in Figure 8, the communication method provided in this embodiment can further reduce the computational complexity of the RU.

[0202] The following will describe in detail another communication method provided by the embodiments of this application with reference to Figure 12. This communication process can be applied to, but is not limited to, the communication architecture shown in Figure 1 and the communication scenario shown in Figure 5. This method can be applied to LTE, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) systems, LTE TDD, 5G systems or NR systems, subsequent evolving communication systems (such as future communication systems), V2X, where V2X can include vehicle-to-network (V2N), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P), long-term evolution-vehicle (LTE-V), vehicle-to-everything (V2X), MTC, IoT, long-term evolution-machine (LTE-M), machine-to-machine (M2M), D2D, and other wireless communication scenarios. The first logical unit and the second logical unit involved in the embodiments of this application can be access network devices. In this embodiment, the first logical unit and the second logical unit can be deployed on the same access network device or on different access network devices; this application does not impose any limitations on this. The following description will use an example where the first logical unit is an RU and the second logical unit is a DU. Of course, in other examples, the first logical unit can also be an O-RU and the second logical unit can also be an O-DU; this application does not impose any limitations on this. In the various embodiments of this application, the logical unit can also be referred to as a network-side device, network device, network equipment, functional entity, etc., and is not limited thereto.

[0203] For example, Figure 12 is a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 12, the communication method includes the following steps:

[0204] S1201, the second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or the second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0205] As one possible implementation, the second logic unit can determine the third weight based on the channel estimation results.

[0206] As an example, assuming the channel estimation result is an equivalent channel (or channel estimation matrix), the second logic unit can perform singular value decomposition on the channel estimation matrix to determine the third weights. For example, let the channel estimation matrix be H, the base station obtains H = UH′V through singular value decomposition. H U and V are unitary matrices, H' is a diagonal matrix, and V is the third weight. Of course, the above only provides one possible way to calculate the third weight. In other examples, the second logic unit can also use zero-forcing precoding to determine the third weight (obtaining the third weight by directly taking the generalized inverse of the channel estimation matrix). This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0207] As another possible implementation, the second logic unit can determine the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). For example, the second logic unit can apply the minimum mean square error criterion to determine the third weight as H[H(H)] based on the channel estimation result and the SNR. H +δ 2 I] -1 I represents the identity matrix, δ 2 This indicates the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0208] S1202, the second logic unit determines the layer 2 scheduling result based on the signal-to-noise ratio and the third weight.

[0209] For a detailed explanation of the determination of the Layer 2 scheduling results, please refer to the explanation of S601 in Figure 6 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0210] S1203, the second logic unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio.

[0211] For a detailed explanation of how to determine the first weight, please refer to the explanation of S601 in Figure 6 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0212] It should be noted that the channel estimation result and signal-to-noise ratio required by the second logic unit in determining the first weight can be calculated by the second logic unit itself. In this case, as a possible implementation, the second logic unit performs channel estimation to obtain the channel estimation result and signal-to-noise ratio; the second logic unit then sends the channel estimation result to the first logic unit.

[0213] The channel estimation result and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) required by the second logic unit in determining the first weight can also be obtained by the second logic unit receiving the channel estimation result and SNR from the first logic unit, which are obtained after the first logic unit performs channel estimation. In some examples, in addition to sending the channel estimation result and SNR to the second logic unit, the first logic unit can also send an SRS to the second logic unit so that the DU can complete the relevant tasks required by the DU based on the SRS.

[0214] S1204. The second logic unit sends the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight to the first logic unit, so that the first logic unit determines the second weight for beamforming based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight.

[0215] In one possible design, the second logic unit sends first and second information to the first logic unit. The first message carries the layer 2 scheduling result, and the second message carries the first weight. Accordingly, the first logic unit determines the second weight for beamforming based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight.

[0216] In another possible design, the second logic unit sends a third message to the first logic unit, the third message carrying the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight. Correspondingly, the first logic unit determines the second weight for beamforming based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight.

[0217] In one possible implementation, the first logical unit obtains the second weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result.

[0218] In some examples, the first logic unit performs dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation results based on the layer 2 scheduling results to obtain an intermediate channel; and performs matrix multiplication on the intermediate channel and the first weight to obtain a second weight.

[0219] For a detailed explanation of how to obtain the intermediate channel and the second weight, please refer to the description of S602 in Figure 6 above. This will not be repeated here.

[0220] Based on the communication method shown in Figure 12, the second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and determines the layer 2 scheduling result based on the SNR and the third weight. It further determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the SNR, and sends the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight to the first logic unit. This allows the first logic unit to determine the second weight for beamforming based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight. Essentially, the data sent from the second logic unit to the first logic unit includes: the first weight (usually with a dimension smaller than the second weight), the layer 2 scheduling result (whose data volume is negligible compared to the second weight), and the channel estimation result with a longer transmission time period. Therefore, compared to the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 2, the communication method provided in this application reduces the amount of data sent from the second logic unit to the first logic unit. Furthermore, the second logic unit obtains the first weight through a computationally complex inversion operation, while the first logic unit obtains the second weight through a multiplication operation. This is equivalent to the first and second logic units collaboratively calculating the second weight. Therefore, compared to the fronthaul network architecture shown in Figure 3, the communication method provided in this application reduces the computational complexity of the first logic unit. Additionally, since the traffic corresponding to the first weight is typically less than the traffic corresponding to the second weight (for example, if the base station transmits 16 data streams and has 64 transmit antennas, the traffic corresponding to the first weight is approximately 1 / 8 of the traffic corresponding to the second weight), this application does not increase the fronthaul traffic excessively to reduce the computational complexity of the RU.

[0221] The foregoing mainly describes the solutions provided in this application. Accordingly, this application also provides a communication device for implementing various methods in the above method embodiments. This communication device can be a first logic unit in the above method embodiments, or a device containing a first logic unit, or a component that can be used with the first logic unit, such as a chip or a chip system. Alternatively, the communication device can be a second logic unit in the above method embodiments, or a device containing a second logic unit, or a component that can be used with the second logic unit, such as a chip or a chip system.

[0222] It is understood that, in order to achieve the aforementioned functions, the communication device includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and algorithm steps of the examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0223] This application embodiment can divide the communication device into functional modules according to the above method embodiment. For example, each function can be divided into a separate functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. It should be noted that the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0224] Taking the communication device as the first or second logic unit in the above method embodiment as an example, Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 13, the communication device 1300 includes: a processing module 1301 and a transceiver module 1302.

[0225] The processing module 1301 is used to execute the processing functions of the first or second logic unit in the above method embodiments. For example, it obtains a second weight for beamforming based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result. Another example is determining a third weight based on the channel estimation result, or determining a third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); and determining the layer 2 scheduling result based on the SNR and the third weight; thereby determining the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or determining the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the SNR.

[0226] The transceiver module 1302 is used to perform the transceiver functions of the first or second logic unit in the above method embodiments. For example, it receives the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight from the second logic unit. Or, for another example, it sends the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight to the first logic unit so that the first logic unit determines the second weight for beamforming.

[0227] All relevant content of each step involved in the above method embodiments can be referenced from the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and will not be repeated here.

[0228] Since the communication device 1300 provided in this embodiment can execute the above method, the technical effects it can achieve can be referred to the above method embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0229] In one possible design, in this embodiment of the application, the transceiver module 1302 may include a receiving module and a transmitting module (not shown in FIG13). The transceiver module is used to implement the transmitting and receiving functions of the communication device 1300.

[0230] In one possible design, the communication device 1300 may further include a storage module (not shown in FIG. 13) that stores programs or instructions. When the processing module 1301 executes the program or instructions, the communication device 1300 is used to implement the functions of the first logic unit and the second logic unit in the method embodiments shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 8, FIG. 10, and FIG. 12.

[0231] It should be understood that the processing module 1301 involved in the communication device 1300 can be implemented by a processor or processor-related circuit components, and can be a processor or processing unit; the transceiver module 1302 can be implemented by a transceiver or transceiver-related circuit components, and can be a transceiver or transceiver unit.

[0232] For example, FIG14 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device may be a first logic unit or a second logic unit, or it may be a chip (system) or other component or assembly that can be disposed in the first logic unit or the second logic unit. As shown in FIG14, the communication device 1400 may include a processor 1401. In one possible design, the communication device 1400 may further include a memory 1402 and / or a transceiver 1403. The processor 1401 is coupled to the memory 1402 and the transceiver 1403, for example, they can be connected via a communication bus.

[0233] The following is a detailed description of each component of the communication device 1400 with reference to Figure 14:

[0234] The processor 1401 is the control center of the communication device 1400. It can be a single processor or a collective term for multiple processing elements. For example, the processor 1401 can be one or more central processing units (CPUs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the embodiments of this application, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), or one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

[0235] In one possible design, the processor 1401 can perform various functions of the communication device 1400 by running or executing software programs stored in the memory 1402 and calling data stored in the memory 1402. For example, a second weight for beamforming can be obtained based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result. Another example is determining a third weight based on the channel estimation result, or determining a third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); and determining the layer 2 scheduling result based on the SNR and the third weight; thereby determining the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or determining the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the SNR.

[0236] In a specific implementation, as one example, processor 1401 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 shown in FIG14.

[0237] In a specific implementation, as one embodiment, the communication device 1400 may also include multiple processors, such as processors 1401 and 1404 shown in FIG. 14. Each of these processors may be a single-core processor (single-CPU) or a multi-core processor (multi-CPU). Here, a processor may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0238] The memory 1402 is used to store the software program that executes the solution of this application, and is controlled by the processor 1401 to execute it. The specific implementation method can be referred to the above method embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0239] In one possible design, the memory 1402 can be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions, or it can be an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory 1402 can be integrated with the processor 1401 or exist independently and is coupled to the processor 1401 through the interface circuit of the communication device 1400 (not shown in FIG. 14). This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0240] Transceiver 1403 is used for communication with other communication devices. For example, if communication device 1400 is a terminal device, transceiver 1403 can be used to communicate with a network device or with another terminal device. As another example, if communication device 1400 is a network device, transceiver 1403 can be used to communicate with a terminal device or with another network device. For example, it receives a Layer 2 scheduling result and a first weight from a second logic unit. As yet another example, it sends a Layer 2 scheduling result and a first weight to a first logic unit so that the first logic unit determines a second weight for beamforming.

[0241] In one possible design, transceiver 1403 may include a receiver and a transmitter (not shown separately in Figure 14). The receiver is used to implement the receiving function, and the transmitter is used to implement the transmitting function.

[0242] In one possible design, the transceiver 1403 can be integrated with the processor 1401 or exist independently and be coupled to the processor 1401 through the interface circuit of the communication device 1400 (not shown in Figure 14). This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0243] It should be noted that the structure of the communication device 1400 shown in Figure 14 does not constitute a limitation on the communication device. The actual communication device may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0244] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device 1400 can be referred to the technical effects of the method described in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0245] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program or instructions thereon, which, when executed by a computer, implements the functions of the above-described method embodiments.

[0246] This application also provides a computer program product that, when executed by a computer, implements the functions of the above-described method embodiments.

[0247] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software programs, implementation can be, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product. This computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the flow or function according to the embodiments of this application is generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a computer or a data storage device containing one or more servers, data centers, etc., that can be integrated with the medium. The available media can be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., DVDs), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state disks, SSDs).

[0248] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0249] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0250] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0251] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0252] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0253] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0254] Although this application has been described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, those skilled in the art, by reviewing the accompanying drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims, will understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments in carrying out the claimed application. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple instances. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions listed in the claims. While different dependent claims may recite certain measures, this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0255] Although this application has been described in conjunction with specific features and embodiments, it is obvious that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Accordingly, this specification and drawings are merely exemplary illustrations of this application as defined by the appended claims, and are considered to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of this application. Clearly, those skilled in the art can make various alterations and modifications to this application without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Thus, if such modifications and modifications of this application fall within the scope of the claims of this application and their equivalents, this application is also intended to include such modifications and modifications.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: The first logic unit receives the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight from the second logic unit; The first logic unit obtains a second weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result. The second weight is used for beamforming.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first logic unit receives a first weight from the second logic unit, including: The first logic unit receives compressed data from the second logic unit, the compressed data including the first weight.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first weight has conjugate symmetry properties.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The first logic unit obtains a second weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result, including: The first logic unit performs dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation result based on the layer 2 scheduling result to obtain the intermediate channel; The first logic unit performs a matrix multiplication operation on the intermediate channel and the first weight to obtain the second weight.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Before the first logic unit receives the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight from the second logic unit, the method further includes: The first logic unit performs channel estimation and sends the channel estimation result and signal-to-noise ratio to the second logic unit.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The method further includes: The first logic unit receives the channel estimation result sent by the second logic unit, which is obtained after the second logic unit performs channel estimation.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The method further includes: The second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or the second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio; The second logic unit determines the layer 2 scheduling result based on the signal-to-noise ratio and the third weight; The second logic unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or the second logic unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second logic unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or the second logic unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the signal-to-noise ratio, including: The second logic unit performs dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation result based on the layer 2 scheduling result to obtain the intermediate channel; The second logic unit determines the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or the signal-to-noise ratio.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second logic unit determines the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or the signal-to-noise ratio, including: The second logic unit performs a matrix inversion operation based on the intermediate channel and / or the signal-to-noise ratio to determine the first weight.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7-9, characterized in that, The method further includes: The second logic unit compresses the first weight based on the conjugate symmetry property to obtain compressed data; The second logic unit sends the compressed data to the first logic unit.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, The first logical unit is a wireless unit (RU), and the second logical unit is a distributed unit (DU). or, The first logical unit is an Open Radio Unit (O-RU), and the second logical unit is an Open Distributed Unit (O-DU).

12. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: The second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or the second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio; The second logic unit determines the layer 2 scheduling result based on the signal-to-noise ratio and the third weight; The second logic unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or the second logic unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio; The second logic unit sends the layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight to the first logic unit. The layer 2 scheduling result and the first weight are used by the first logic unit to determine the second weight, which is used for beamforming.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The second logic unit sends the first weight to the first logic unit, including: The second logic unit compresses the first weight based on the conjugate symmetry property to obtain compressed data; The second logic unit sends the compressed data to the first logic unit.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The first weight has conjugate symmetry properties.

15. The method according to any one of claims 12-14, characterized in that, The second logic unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result and the channel estimation result, or the second logic unit determines the first weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the channel estimation result, and the signal-to-noise ratio, including: The second logic unit performs dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation result based on the layer 2 scheduling result to obtain the intermediate channel; The second logic unit determines the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or the signal-to-noise ratio.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that, The second logic unit determines the first weight based on the intermediate channel and / or the signal-to-noise ratio, including: The second logic unit performs a matrix inversion operation based on the intermediate channel and / or the signal-to-noise ratio to determine the first weight.

17. The method according to any one of claims 12-16, characterized in that, Before the second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio, the method further includes: The second logic unit performs channel estimation to obtain the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio; The method further includes: The second logic unit sends the channel estimation result to the first logic unit.

18. The method according to any one of claims 12-16, characterized in that, Before the second logic unit determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result, or determines the third weight based on the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio, the method further includes: The second logic unit receives the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio from the first logic unit, wherein the channel estimation result and the signal-to-noise ratio are obtained by the first logic unit after performing channel estimation.

19. The method according to any one of claims 12-18, characterized in that, The method further includes: The first logic unit obtains a second weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result. The second weight is used for beamforming.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The first logic unit obtains a second weight based on the layer 2 scheduling result, the first weight, and the channel estimation result, including: The first logic unit performs dimensionality reduction processing on the channel estimation result based on the layer 2 scheduling result to obtain the intermediate channel; The first logic unit performs a matrix multiplication operation on the intermediate channel and the first weight to obtain the second weight.

21. The method according to any one of claims 12-20, characterized in that, The first logical unit is a wireless unit (RU), and the second logical unit is a distributed unit (DU). or, The first logical unit is an Open Radio Unit (O-RU), and the second logical unit is an Open Distributed Unit (O-DU).

22. A communication device, characterized in that, Includes modules for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1-6 or 12-18.

23. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes a processor and an interface circuit, the interface circuit being used to communicate with other communication devices, and the processor being used to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-6 or 12-18 through logic circuits and / or executing code instructions.

24. A communication system, characterized in that, The communication system includes a first logic unit and a second logic unit; The first logic unit is used to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-6; The second logic unit is used to implement the method as described in any one of claims 12-18.

25. A communication chip, characterized in that, It stores instructions that, when the chip is running on a communication device, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-6 or 12-18 to be implemented.

26. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program or instructions, which, when executed by a communication device, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-6 or 12-18.

27. A computer program product, characterized in that, It includes computer program code, which, when run on a communication device, implements the method of any one of claims 1-6 or 12-18.

Images